Today's Itinerary and Activities
Today we considered the problem of how to end the campaign and the war. We followed Canada’s Operation TRACTABLE which turns into the dramatic encirclement of German forces in the so-called “Falaise Pocket”. We studied the incredible climax of the Normandy Campaign from the Canadian Battlefields Foundation Belvedere in St. Lambert-sur-Dives. We visited Falaise itself for lunch and a visit to William the Conqueror’s castle before returning to the Moulin Morin to pack and prepare for our farewell dinner. Armand led us in our final seminar, considering how we should balance national and international history in Canadian classrooms, and we also discussed what elements of Canada’s experience in the Second World War are most significant for our nation’s history.
What makes Falaise significant?
Falaise is significant at the time because it allows for control of major roads and railways. It is also significant today because it sheds light on the experiences of soldiers that are becoming more and more relevant to us in the present.
In August/September of 1944, the question of whether we should force the home defence conscripts to serve overseas is pressing. This is much like the 100 Days campaign- we can see the end of the war is in sight. At this point we know back home in Canada the full extent of the Nazi death camps, and we know that many European cities and towns are on the brink of starvation. We cannot stop, and cannot give our soldiers, many of whom have been fighting for months, a break. There is also overwhelming evidence that Canadian soldiers are now very well aware of the Nazi actions - post battle interviews indicate that soldiers were motivated not by king and country but by stopping the Nazis.
By the time we get to this point in the war, there is an epidemic of battle exhaustion.
What can what happened here teach us about what is going on in the present day regarding living with trauma?
What stakes would be such that you would push soldiers beyond their limits?
Does this make combat veterans victims?
How do we educate about this without increasing trauma?
We also consider returning veterans in a context we do not often address in the classroom - veterans as social justice advocates, addressing issues of segregation and mental health when they return home.
In August/September of 1944, the question of whether we should force the home defence conscripts to serve overseas is pressing. This is much like the 100 Days campaign- we can see the end of the war is in sight. At this point we know back home in Canada the full extent of the Nazi death camps, and we know that many European cities and towns are on the brink of starvation. We cannot stop, and cannot give our soldiers, many of whom have been fighting for months, a break. There is also overwhelming evidence that Canadian soldiers are now very well aware of the Nazi actions - post battle interviews indicate that soldiers were motivated not by king and country but by stopping the Nazis.
By the time we get to this point in the war, there is an epidemic of battle exhaustion.
What can what happened here teach us about what is going on in the present day regarding living with trauma?
What stakes would be such that you would push soldiers beyond their limits?
Does this make combat veterans victims?
How do we educate about this without increasing trauma?
We also consider returning veterans in a context we do not often address in the classroom - veterans as social justice advocates, addressing issues of segregation and mental health when they return home.
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Today we visited one of the only museums we have seen dedicated to the civilian experience of war. We had a lot of discussion around the ways in which civilians bear the brunt of political decisions in war. Some teachers were wondering about data that exist from different organizations around gender issues and refugees, vulnerability of women and children. How can we use what information we do have to better understand the civilian experience in the war? |
Classroom questions
Why do we often teach the Holocaust as separate from the war?
What caused the conscription crisis?
is it fair to compare battles?
Is the 1948 UNHCR definition of a refugee adequate in 2016?
What is the spirit of the definition? Does every single possible aspect of being a refugee need to be included in order for this convention to work?
What are the challenges of imposing a Western perspective on justice and equality for citizens on non-Western peoples?
What caused the conscription crisis?
is it fair to compare battles?
Is the 1948 UNHCR definition of a refugee adequate in 2016?
What is the spirit of the definition? Does every single possible aspect of being a refugee need to be included in order for this convention to work?
What are the challenges of imposing a Western perspective on justice and equality for citizens on non-Western peoples?